Matt Damon Allegedly ‘Warned’ Ben Affleck About Jennifer Lopez Romance

Lopez and Affleck’s separate living arrangements and lack of public appearances have fueled rumors of an “imminent” divorce.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s marriage troubles became more apparent after the couple secretly put up their recently purchased $60 million marital mansion for sale.

Insiders revealed that Damon, Ben Affleck’s friend, cautioned him about rekindling his romance with Jennifer Lopez before their marriage, fearing it could jeopardize his friend’s sobriety and career.

According to sources who spoke to Daily Mail, Damon, 53, urged Affleck to “focus on his work” and avoid distractions.

“Matt tried to warn Ben when he got back together with JLo that this could happen,” the insider said. “Matt was there to help Ben get it together after their first split, and he felt like this would happen again.”

The source claimed that the “Gone Girl” actor deeply values his best friend’s opinion, given Damon’s successful 18-year marriage to Luciana Barroso: “Matt has had a successful marriage for years and Ben has always been in awe of this.”

The insider continued, “As things started falling apart, Matt told Ben that he supports whatever choice he makes but wants him to jump in and focus on his work. Ben spent so much time focusing on JLo’s projects, just like he did the first time around. He told Ben, ‘What has she ever done for your career?'”

“Matt is the only real guy friend Ben has. He would not let him get back on the bottle and has been on him to make sure of this,” they added.

In recent months, speculation about Affleck and Lopez’s relationship has intensified due to a lack of public appearances together.

Rumors of an imminent divorce have also been fueled by reports that the couple, popularly known as Bennifer, have been living separately.

The “Deep Water” actor resides in a $100,000-a-month rental in Brentwood. He has also been spotted without his wedding ring, while Lopez, 54, was seen vacationing solo in Italy.

The couple also reportedly discreetly put their $60 million Beverly Hills home, which they purchased last year, up for sale.

Affleck and Lopez were famously engaged in the early 2000s before breaking up, only to reunite and marry in July 2022. Their initial two-year romance was heavily scrutinized, making it difficult for them to handle the intense public pressure.

In her music documentary, “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” Lopez revealed, “Ben and I broke up three days before our wedding, and we crumbled under the pressure. You think you’re doing okay, so you shrug it off.”

The “Marry Me” actress opened up about the heartbreak she experienced when her first relationship with Affleck ended.

She said, “I had a broken heart once I lost the love of my life, my best friend, and I couldn’t talk for so many years, and that was the hardest part. I used to think it was everyone else who was broken, now I think it was just me.”

While navigating their reconciliation, Affleck admitted he had no desire to become a regular feature on Lopez’s social media.

“Getting back together, I said, ‘Listen, one of the things I don’t want is a relationship on social media,'” he recalled.

The two-time Oscar winner added, “Then I sort of realized it’s not a fair thing to ask. It’s sort of like, you’re gonna marry a boat captain and you go, “Well, I don’t like the water.”‘ He explained, “We’re just two people with different approaches trying to learn to compromise.”

Despite his initial reluctance, Affleck has made occasional appearances on Lopez’s social media. This includes a shirtless photo on Father’s Day and a sweet video of them singing Sam Cooke’s “(What A) Wonderful World” in the car on his birthday.

In Lopez’s documentary, she acknowledged Affleck’s discomfort with being in the spotlight, noting, “I don’t think [Ben] is very comfortable with me doing all of this.”

She continued, “But he loves me, he knows I’m an artist, and he’s gonna support me in every way he can because he knows you can’t stop me from making the music I made… he doesn’t want to stop me. But that doesn’t mean he’s comfortable being the muse.”

After reports of Lopez and Affleck living apart amid speculations of an “imminent” divorce, reports claim the singer is looking to put more distance between herself and her husband.

An insider revealed to In Touch that Lopez is “pushing for a full-time move to New York,” where she once lived with ex-husband Marc Anthony, with whom she shares 16-year-old twins Max and Emme.

According to the source, Lopez has had this move on her mind “even before things went totally south” with Affleck. Now, “she’s decided to go ahead” with the idea, given the current situation of her marriage.

Although it is unclear when the move to the Big Apple might happen, the source believes that Lopez will not completely cut ties with Los Angeles, where she currently resides.

The insider added, “She’ll probably keep a place in L.A. but she needs to get away from all the noise and the scrutiny on the West Coast.”